Deep River Woman
by Brooklyn's Miracle
Summary: He was stone; unbreakable, untouchable, and unloving. And nobody, nobody but himself could unlock his rusted heart. He was Spot Conlon. And now he was alone.


A/N This story is based on the song 'Deep River Woman by Alabama and Lionel Ritchie. It was just something I came up with while harmonizing to the song with my father, and practicing other songs for a upcoming vocal performance at my school.

Summary: He was stone; unbreakable, untouchable, and unloving. And nobody, nobody but himself could unlock his rusted heart. He was Spot Conlon. And now he was alone.

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Deep River Woman

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_Deep River Woman,_

_Lord I'm coming home to you,_

_Deep River Woman,_

_Lord I know she's waiting,_

_Just anticipating all my love._

Spot Conlon perched himself high on the tower of crates that overlooked the Brooklyn docks, the cold late October wind nipping at his face and hands. His icy blue eyes stared down, at the murky water, a tinge of green etched around the black pupil, shining as though a flurry of snowstorms blew within, matching the tidal waves of emotions that were coursing through the Brooklyn leader.

The extremity of them was absolute abandon, which left him alone, sitting in a big city, as a big leader, but with nobody to join him. Not since _she_ had disappeared. It seemed impossible, that _he_, Spot Conlon, the untouchable, had settled down, and found the one he truly loved.

But he had, and now she was gone.

_Spent a night in LA,_

_Just another chance to see you,_

_Just you and I,_

_Wanted you to know,_

_That my playing days are over,_

_Cause all I do is think of you,_

_The writing's on the wall._

Spot ran his hands through his sandy hair, leaving them just as tousled as they always were after their romantic nights together, and sighed, choking on the breath.

Where had she gone, the one who whispered sweet nothings into his ears, and sang tinkling songs as sweet as her Irish lilted voice. Was her silky black tipped red hair waving naturally as she threw her arms around another man? Or were her sparkling emerald eyes frozen open, iced to the point where she would never return to him.

The boys were searching, running up and down the banks of the East River, and wading in the shallow shores that lined the murderous waters. It was all without purpose, Spot knew that, and Jack should have too. After all, the Midnight Murderers hadn't let any theft victim survive. They had always tossed their unfortunate abductees into the freezing torrents, and now, Havoc had joined the rest of the lost.

_Deep River Woman,_

_Lord I'm coming home to you,_

_Deep River Woman,_

_Lord I know she's waiting,_

_Just anticipating all my love._

From a few docks away came a shout, followed by more echoes of the call, and Spot's eyes clouded over, not even glancing towards where they calling his name over and over again.

Now what would he do? Just sit there and watch, forever thinking of life without her? What was the purpose of it all, now that his sun, and his moon, had fallen from his sky?

From behind him, came a clambering, and one of the younger newsies, who's name escaped Spot for the moment, raised his eyebrows, sitting next to Spot. "They found her, you know."

_I've been out in the world,_

_I guess the fast life had me going,_

_Now all that's changed,_

_Finally made up my mind,_

_About the one thing I've been knowing,_

_You're the only girl,_

_I've ever cared for in this world._

Spot nodded slowly, his eyes averted from those of the child next to him. Of course he knew. The letters had been popping up for weeks, all with something along the same lines. "The time is near ." "It is the calm." "Before the storm." And then the final note, the one that said it all, and remained crumpled into an unbelieving ball in his pocket. "The storm has past, and the damage is widespread."

With a quiet cough, Spot's companion sighed. "What're you gonna do?"

Spot sighed. "I know exactly what I'm going to do, but I need you to tell Dodger, he's in charge from now on."

_Deep River Woman,_

_Lord I'm coming home to you,_

_Deep River Woman,_

_Lord I know she waiting,_

_Just anticipating all my love._

The boy choked, grabbing onto Spot's wrist, but then realizing his mistake, and pulling back, nearly shouting in worry, "Spot, you ain't gonna kill yerself, are ya?"

Spot shook his head. "No. I'm going to move on."

Accepting that as a sufficient answer, the youth clambered back down, walking towards the new leader, with news that nobody would believe, had it not come after the death of Brooklyn's wife.

At least Spot had told the truth. He was moving on. He was going to a place he'd never been before, and would never return from. Spot Conlon was going to join his wife.

_Your kind of love, girl, is forever,_

_Took me a long time to realize,_

_That I've come so far to end up going no where,_

_Girl I need you by my side._

Spot stood and clutched his cane tightly, his free hand rubbing his long-time suspenders in a frayed Spot that revealed his nervousness. He turned around and faced his Kingdom, his long time home. He faced himself. Smoke billowed out of the smoke stacks of many factories, heavy machinery clanking about within.

He swallowed, and opened his mouth, whispering to the chilling wind a secret question. "How do you let someone go? How do you understand that that's all right, that everything changes? How do you find a way for that to make you feel good about life instead of breaking your heart? You don't. You move on, and find a way to find that person again. But to do so, you have to say goodbye to the things you know. The things you love. Sometimes you have to say goodbye to even yourself, and change for those you love."

Spot blinked back the haze that was clouding his eyes. "The hardest thing you'll ever learn is how to say goodbye."

_Deep River Woman,_

_Lord I'm coming home to you,_

_Deep River Woman,_

_Lord I know she's waiting,_

_Just anticipating all my love._

Inhaling deeply, Brooklyn's King turned, and stared down into the swirling current of green water below him. Without even a short glance behind him, he raised his arms like wings, bent his knees and propelled himself upwards . .

Off the dock . . .

And into his future . . .

Swirling quickly in welcome of it's newfound victim.

_Deep River Woman,_

_Lord I'm coming home to you,_

_Deep River Woman,_

_Lord I know she's waiting,_

_Just anticipating all my love._

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A/N Don'T ask me why I wrote it, because I can't explain, it's just something I thought of, and decided, no matter how much I love the character, my job is to create a great work of fiction for others to read. Please review, all opinions are much appreciated.


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